How Chatbots Are Replacing Human Connection—And Leaving Us Lonelier

‘Those who spend more time with chatbots tend to be even lonelier,’ said MIT Media Lab research.

A virtual friend is seen on the screen of an iPhone in Arlington, Virginia, on April 30, 2020. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

What happens when we start turning to machines for the comfort we once found in people?

A growing body of research suggests that the rise of AI chatbots may be quietly reshaping how we connect—and not always for the better.